


I wish I knew Why

by Fishtalia13



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Depression, Kids, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Wives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-18 17:01:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5936122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishtalia13/pseuds/Fishtalia13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhett had noticed that something was wrong with Link, but shrugged it off. That is until he got a phone call from Link's wife.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rhett sat awkwardly in the passenger seat of Link’s car as the man drove in silence. The whole day Link had been acting odd and quiet, every time Rhett had tried to start a conversation Link would curtly answer and end the conversation quickly. Rhett wasn’t sure what was wrong with the man, but he hoped tomorrow's episode wasn’t ruined by the man’s foul mood. As they came closer to his house Rhett decided to say something.

“Okay, man what's wrong? You've been acting really distant all day.” Rhett asked, genuinely concerned for his friend. 

Link kept looking forward at the road and the cars in front of him not answering. he looked as if was debating before he opened his mouth, as if to say something, but promptly shut it. Then he answered, “I’m fine. Just had a bad night's sleep last night. I’ll be okay.” He said, glancing briefly at Rhett and giving him a reassuring smile. 

Rhett looked at him for a moment before deciding to drop the subject. He obviously didn’t want to talk about what was really bothering him. Besides he figured that he’d tell him eventually. 

They drove for just a little longer in the tense silence before Link pulled into Rhett’s driveway and quickly driving off with barely a goodbye. Rhett furrowed his brow in concern, but once again dropped it. Reassuring himself he could deal with it tomorrow. 

Rhett walked into his house and was greeted to the smell of food in the oven and the television on in the living room. He walked through his foyer into his large living room where his wife and sons were all sat up on the couch watching a documentary on Animal Planet. 

Jessie looked up at him from her spot on the corner of their couch and smiled. “Welcome home.” She said and Rhett bent down to give her a kiss. The boys both groaned out a “Gross” As they continued to watch the show. Rhett chuckled as he leaned up and looked up at the television. It was some documentary about meerkats and he found himself immensely uninterested. He sat down anyways though next to his son and got out his phone and started to go through social media. 

When dinner got done, they all ate at the table and talked about their day. This was one of Rhett’s favorite times of the day. Hearing about his children's day. They always talked about the stuff they did with excitement he once did and he absolutely loved hearing it.

As the night came to an end Rhett said goodnight to the kids before sending them to bed, He slept a peaceful and dreamless sleep before waking up to the sound of his phone ringing. He woke up slightly confused. Jessie hit him and mumbled, “Answer your phone, Rhett.” As she turned away from the sound. Rhett groaned and sat up before looking at his nightstand and grabbing his phone. He furrowed his brow when he saw that it was from Christi. Something wasn’t right. 

“Hello?” He answered groggily.

“Oh my gosh Rhett thank god.” Christy voice sounded like she was crying and he suddenly found that he was wide awake. “O-oh my god. He’s oh..god. They don't know if he’s going to make it,” Christy continued to rambled leaving Rhett even more confused than before. 

“Christy. Christ!” He said getting the woman's attention. “Whats wrong? What’s happened?” He was already getting out of bed and putting his pants on. 

“Oh god Rhett. Rhett its Link. I went to bed and I didn’t know. Oh my gosh. He took a bunch of pills and he’s on his way to the hospital. He wasn't responding.Oh my god.” She was crying and sobbing into the phone. Rhett’s heart had dropped had he finally deciphered what the woman was trying to say. 

“Okay. Oh god. I’ll be there in just a bit? Are the kids with you?” He asked and she confirmed that the kids were in the hospital waiting room with her. “Okay, i’ll be there in a bit.” 

As he hung up he looked over at Jessie, who was now sitting up in bed looking at him concerned. “What’s happened?” She asked.

“Link overdosed on a bunch of pills somehow and they’re at the hospital.Stay here with the kids and I’ll keep you updated.” And that’s the last thing he said before grabbing his keys and bolting out the door.


	2. Chapter 2

The car drive to the hospital was a tense one filled with silence and deep thought. Rhett couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He knew that Link wasn’t acting right, but this isn’t something that Link would do. His heart was beating out of his chest and he felt like he was going to be sick. He had so much nervous energy running through his body as he thought about his best friend. He never played with the idea of Link may already be dead. 

He just couldn’t understand why Link would do this. Maybe it was an accident and he took too much of something. Or combined two medicines He just couldn’t believe that Link would purposely overdose. It just didn't make sense. 

As he pulled into the parking lot of the E.R. he felt himself getting sick. The thoughts of Link being in the hospital sick, or-or even dying made him sick to his stomach all over again. He parked and turn off his car, hand shaking and stomaching turning. As he stepped out he felt like his legs were going to buckle, but kept heading towards the E.R. entrance. When he walked in he saw Christy sitting in a chair, Lando in her lap. He walked over to her and she looked up. She had tears in her eyes and Rhett felt his heart ache for the family. 

“Oh...Rhett…” She sobbed. Rhett looked at the kids who looked confused and scared. Lilly And Lincoln sat on either chair beside of their mother. 

Rhett squatted down and looked at Christy. “Chrisy...what happened? Where is he?” He asked, keeping his voice down trying to keep the kids from hearing. Christy looked up at him and bit back another sob. She quickly put Lando down and mumbled for him to sit with his sister before motioning Rhett outside. Rhett followed and looked back towards the confused kids in the waiting room. 

“What’s happening, Christy? What have the doctor said?” He asked frantically now that the kids were out of earshot. 

Christy just continued to cry trying to speak, but being interrupted by her own sobs. “H-he. I found him on the couch. H-he wasn’t responding, and oh god.” She sobbed and Rhett brought her in for a comforting embrace. Rubbing her back soothingly trying to cry himself, but he found tears filling his eyes. He knew that things had to be bad. 

Christy backed off slightly and looked back at the man, slightly more composed. “There… was a letter. Oh… god. He tried to kill himself, Rhett. The paramedics said he still had a heartbeat when they got there, but he wasn’t responding.” 

Rhett felt his eyes begin to fill up more and his face began to hurt from the pressure of not crying. How could Link do this to him? To his family, to his wife, to his kids. It wasn’t fair. 

“I-I got to call Jessie.” He said, wiping his eyes. “Do you want me to tell her to come on and pick up your kids?” Christy nodded and Rhett took out his phone, only now seeing the time. It was 3:00 in the morning. He didn’t feel tired at all but instead had adrenaline pounding through his blood as he called his wife. There was an answer and he quickly explained the situation to her before hanging up and finding Christy again in the waiting room. 

“Jessie said that she’s on her way to pick up the kids.” Rhett said to Christy before looking down at the children. Lando had fallen asleep in his sister’s lap while lily had tears and a concerned look in her eyes Lincoln looked around the room, his whole body twitching. He looked confused, but upset nonetheless, knowing something big was wrong. 

“Hey Rhett.” Christy said, looking at him exhausted. 

Rhett looked at her and she handed him a couple of folded sheets of papers. He knew what they were before she even opened her mouth. “Those are the notes. We don't know if he’s going to pull through...but I think you should read it.” He nodded before walking outside again, note in hand. 

When walked outside, he walked to the side of the building to a dimly lit street light and open the note. Inside reads; 

Dear loved ones,

I am so sorry. What can I say? I’ve always been selfish. I have always thought about my needs above everyone else's. I am sorry Christy. I know you loved me, but I just couldn’t keep on with this life. It’s not fair for you to have married an idiot like me and I want you to take the kids, remarry and let them have the life they deserved. I love you so much. I am just hurting too much to carry on pretending like everything's okay. I know you're thinking that I was being overdramatic and that is true, but I can’t help it, that’s who I am. 

Mom, I’m sorry. I know that this isn’t fair for you either, but just know that I am happier now. Know that I am no longer in pain. You have three wonderful grandchildren to remember me by too. Pleases don’t cry. 

Kids, I am so sorry that I did this. I’m sorry that I am taking away a part of your childhood, but please… you have to move on. You’re all the reason I’ve stayed alive as long as I have. You're all so unique and amazing and you're destined to do great things. Please don’t let this stop you from who you're meant to be. I love you so much. 

And finally, Rhett. i’m sorry about this. I really am. Tell the Mythical beast that they were always appreciated. And Rhett I've always cared for you. Hell, I've always loved you. You were one of the most constant things in my life. You’ve kept me grounded. I just want you to know that I am so sorry. Please don’t let this stop you from continuing your career. 

As Rhett read he found himself sobbing, smearing the paper with his own tear. He noticed that Link never did give a specific explanation on why he did it. Rhett felt like he was going to die, his chest hurt so bad. How could someone he loved for over thirty years do this to him. It just wasn’t fair. 

 

He walked back into the waiting room once again to see Christy talking to a woman in a white lab coat and found his heart beating hard against his chest as he walked closer. Christy was nodding, but she looked like she was trying not to break down. Whilst Rhett walked closer he could hear the doctors sympathetic voice. “..We not sure when, or if, he’ll wake up. And if he does you need to prepare yourself for the worst. He could be in a vegetable state or be brain dead, or maybe have some serious brain damage.I’m very sorry Mam. 

Rhett’s stomach flipped and he felt like he was going to pass out. “What’s she say?” Rhett said, walking up to Christy as the doctor walked away. 

“That...h-he’s in a coma and she’s n-not even sure if he’ll wake up” She barely had the words out before she threw herself at Rhett and sobbed into his shoulders. 

“Oh god Rhett...Why? Why would he do this? Why?” She sobbed and Rhett remained quiet, rubbing her back soothingly even though he felt like breaking down. He just wishes he knew why.


	3. Chapter 3

Rhett sat in the waiting room alone. Link has been in the ICU and there could only be so many people in the room at one time. Christy had gone back with Lilly and Lincoln and Jessie had taken Lando home. They had been in there for quite a while and Rhett could feel the visiting hours ticking by. He knew that his family deserved to see the man just as much as Rhett did, but he couldn’t help but worry about not seeing the man. 

He was pacing the waiting room floor when he finally says Christy and the kids. They were exhausted looking and all of them had wet, red eyes. Rhett looked at them sympathetically before Christy began to talk. 

“I..I think I’m going to go ahead and take them home.” Her voice was croaky and quiet. Rhett nodded, silently agreeing that the family needed to rest. “You can go back there if you want…” She said looking like she was going to start crying again. Rhett nodded again before pulling the woman into another hug and saying his goodbye to her and the kids. 

When they began to walk away he turned around and briskly began walking towards the ICU. He he walked up to the metal door that separated the care unit from the rest of the hospital and saw a white sign with red writing on it. Visiting hours: ICU / CCU/ CTRU Visiting Hours are: 5:30am – 6:00 am. 10:00 am – 10:30 am. 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm. 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm. 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Visits should be limited to 2 visitors per patient for a total of fifteen minutes. It was already 4:17 and Rhett bit his lip before quickly walking in. The room was a half oval with a desk, in the center. All around the nurses station where room with patients and their family. 

Rhett walked over to the nurses stations quietly asking for Link Neal’s room before being a leader to a small room just to the left of the station. 

Inside the room Rhett could see Link. hooked to all kinds of machine. Rhett felt his eyes prickle as he walked closer to the man. It was definitely Link but the man in bed looks so small compared to his long time friend. He would look life he was just asleep if it weren’t for the tube shoved down his throat. He simply looks pitiful and Rhett could feel his chest tighten up and tear prickle at his eyes. 

“O-oh god.” He heard himself say before he had to sit down in the chair next to the bed. “Link… buddy...why’d you do this?” He wiped at his eyes as he looked over the man. He took the smaller man's hand into his and brought his face down to it. He was cold, but Link was always cold. 

As he sat there with his best friends he couldn’t help but blame himself. If he had only said something to Link when he noticed he was off or told Christy- something could have prevented this. He just thought Link trusted him enough to tell him when something was wrong. 

He was sitting in the room, quietly blaming himself with the same doctor that Rhett saw in the waiting room walked in. She looks at him and gave a small sympathetic smile.   
“Hello. You must be Rhett.” She offered her hand and Rhett stood up to take it. “i’m Dr. Richy Christy wanted me to explain everything to you. She said you'd probably be in here.” 

Rhett nodded and looked down at Link in the hospital bed. “Yeah, I-I’d really appreciate that.” He said between a sniffle.

“Charles has called something called an anoxic brain injury. That’s what's causing him to be in the coma. We are not even sure how bad it is yet. But you need to be fully aware of the possibilities. If he wakes up there is a great chance he could be brain dead or have severe mental deterioration. And that’s all and If he wakes up.” 

Rhett nodded, but felt himself getting closer and closer to having a breakdown. He couldn't believe this was all really happening. It felt like a nightmare he couldn’t wake up from. The doctor continued to talk about all the possibilities for Link’s future but he couldn’t hear. None of it felt real.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is not going to be happy story. Please do not read if this triggers you.


End file.
